Clamping device.



D. D. THOMPSON.

GLAMPING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 1a, 1910.

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Patented July 4, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co,. wA-SHlNn'mN. n. c.

' ATTUHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID D. THOMPSON, OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO CARL LEON FABER AND ONE-HALF T0 JAMES GREENE COATS, BOTH 0F FORT PIERCE,

FLORIDA.

CLAIVIIING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1911.

Application led July 16, 1910. Serial No. 572,287.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID D. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, and a` resident of Fort Pierce, in the county of St. Lucie and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Clamping Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to clamping devices, and more particularly to that class of clamping devices which are adapted to be used for holding objects such as doors, blinds, or the like, in a vertical position so that their edges may be planed or fitted with hinges, and comprising jaw members adapted to be moved into engagement with the sides of an object to hold the latter in position.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the class described, simple and serviceable in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, which can be operated readily to secure a door, or other object, in upright position so that the operator may have both hands free for planing or performing other work on the object so secured.

The invention consists in the construction and operation of parts to be more fully described hereinafter, and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention, showing the same in the act of holding a door in an upright position; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of F 3; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a fragmeptary cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of my invention, it should be understood that in carpentering it is extremely difficult to properly support a board, door, or other like object in an upright position, so that the carpenter may have both hands free for planing down the edges or mortising the same to receive the locks or hinges. To obviate this dilculty,'I have provided a clamping device adapted to receive a door or the like, and which is provided with two jaws, the latter engaging the sides of the object, whereby it is firmly held in a substantially upright position.

My device also includes an adjusting mechanism, so that the jaws may be adjusted to receive an object of any reasonable width. Itmight also be added that the operation of the aws in approaching one another to grip the sides of the object is automatic, a bowed spring being provided which, when forced down by the object as the latter is inserted between the jaws, operates a mechanism attached to one of the jaws, to cause the latter to move in a horizontal direction into engagement with the object.

In the specific form shown in the drawings, I provide a clamping mechanism, comprised of two parts B and C, having a ycommon base l. Referring for the present to the portion C of the device, it will be seen that I have provided cheeks 2 substantially rectangular in form and located one on each side of the base 1. The base is so constructedA that ribs 3 are formed on both sides thereof,

which are adapted to slidably engage cutout portions or slots 4 extending along the lower inside faces of the cheeks 2. Arranged between the cheeks are spacing members 5, having threaded parts located in threaded openings 6, in one of the cheeks, and provided with heads 6, and having in ltheir other extremities threaded openings 7 which receive the correspondingly threaded Shanks of screws S which extend through the other cheek, being countersunk therein.

Arranged at the inner ends of the cheeksl 2 is a jaw member 9 substantially rectangular in form and provided with a rim l0 on three sides thereof. The rim extends over the extremities of the cheeks, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, being secured in place by means of screws or rivets 1l. The inner face ofthe jaw 9 near the lower edge thereof, is constructed to constitute a socket l2, which serves to receive an internally threaded sleeve 13. A countersunk screw 14 extends through the jaw into th'e sleeve and serves to hold the latter rigidly in place. Positioned at the outer extremity of the base 1, and adapted to receive the latter in a cut-away portion 16, is a back 15. The upper portion of the back has an opening 17 extending therethrough and adapted to journal the shank 18 of an adjusting screw. The shank has its extrem- 45 ping the same.

ity 19 suitably threaded to engage within the sleeve 13. The outer end of the shank is provided with a wing grip 20 and a collar 21. rl`he latter is suitably threaded to engage a correspondingly threaded enlarged part 17a of the opening 17 in the back. Rigidly secured to the shank and located within the part 17a is a. stop 22. rlhe base of the back has a strip 23 of rubber, or the 1C- like, which constitutes a floor grip.

I have also provided my device with a bowed spring 24, having one of its extremities 26 bent back upon itself to constitute a sleeve and adapted to receive a pivot pin 27,

l the latter serving to securely hold the end between the cheeks'2. The other extremity of the spring is located between the cheeks 28 of the portion B of my clamping device. These cheeks are provided, near their linner faces, with grooves 29, in which are secured ribs 30 of the base 1. Pivotally arranged between the cheeks 28 is a lever 31 having its lower extremity 32 pivotally secured between blocks 33, the latter being mounted 25 near the free extremity 34 of the spring 24.

The other end of the-lever has a link 35 attached thereto, which connects the lever to a slide 36. As shown in Fig. 2, the end of the link 35 which is secured tothe slide 30 is arranged in an opening 37 in the latter.

of the drawing. The inner faces of both the jaw 41 and the jaw 9 are provided with a facing 43V of felt, rubber, or other suit-able material, which will prevent the jaws from injuring or scratching the work when grip- The outer extremity of the base 1 is arranged upon a foot 44 having a floor grip 44a of any suitable material, such as rubber or the like.

When my device is in operation, the position of the work between the aws causes, as

a downward pressure is exerted upon the work, the spring 24 to flatten out, thereby bringing theV slide 36 against the work, through the `agency of the lever and link construction which connects the free end of the spring with the slide. lVhen the work is of too great a width to be admitted normally between the jaws, the side C may be suitably adjusted, by means of the shank 19,

to receive the work.

VHaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:V

1. A device of the class described, com- 65 prising two spaced jaws, one being xed and the other slidable, a resilient member having one end fixed and the other movable, said member being controlled by the work and means connecting the movable end of the resilient member with the slidable jaw for sliding the said aw.

2. A device of the class described, comprising two spaced jaws, one being lixed and the other slidable, a resilient member c ontrolled by the work, said member having one end fixed and the other movable, and a lever having one end pivoted to the movable end of the resilient member and its other end pivotally connected with the slidable jaw.

3. A device of the class described, comprising-two sections spaced apart and adapted to receive the work between them, a base, said sections being relatively slidablc on said base, and a resilient member controllable directly by the work, said resilient member having one end thereof secured to one of said sections and its other end resting upon said base.

4. A device of the class described, comprising two sections spaced apart and adapted to receive the work between them, a base, said sections being relatively slidable on said base, a resilient member controlled directly by the work, saidA resilient member having one end secured to one of said sections and having the other end arran ed upon said base, and means whereby the ree end of said resilient member controls one of said sections, so that the latter may be moved into engagement with the work.

5. A device of the class described, comprising two sections spaced apart and adapted to receive the work between them, a base, each section having cheeks slidably arranged on said base, jaws located at the inner ends of said cheeks and adapted to engage the work, adjustable means carried by one of said sections for regulating the width between said jaws, and resilient means controlled directly by the work for causing the relative approach of said sections so that the jaws will secure the work in position said means being slidable relative to said base.

6. A device of the class described, comprising spaced sections, each consisting of a pair of cheeks, a base, said cheeks being guided to slide with respect to said base, said cheeks having at their adjacent ends, jaws adapted to grip the work therebetween, a spring bow mounted upon said base and extending across the space between said jaws, said spring bow having one end free to move and an operative connection between the movable end of the said bow and one of said sections.

7'. AV device of the class described, comprising spaced sections, each consisting of a pair of cheeks, a base, said cheeks being guided to slide with respect to said base,

said cheeks having at their adjacent ends jaws adapted to grip the work therebetween, one of the jaws being slidable, a spring bow extending across the space between said jaws, said spring bow having one end secured to one section and its other free end resting upon the base, a connection between the free end of the spring bow and the slid able jaw, and an adjusting device for adjustably holding the section to which said spring bow is secured.

fl. A device of the class described, com* prising two spaced jaws, one being fixed and the other slidable, a bow spring having one end fixed and the other movable, said spring extending across the space between the jaws, a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends and having one end pivoted to the movable end of the spring, and a link connecting the other end of the said lever with the slidable jaw.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a jaw having cheek pieces mounted to slide on the base, means forl adjusting the jaw onthe base, cheek pieces at the other end of the base, a jaw slidably mounted between the last named cheek pieces, a bow spring having one end secured between the iirst named cheek pieces and extending under the movable jaw, a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends and having one end pivoted to the free end of the spring, and a link connecting the other end of the lever with the slidable aw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID D. THOMPSON.

lVitnesses:

R. C. MERRITT, L. O. MoRDT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

